Thrill Seeking

Ben has decided that the Luge in Rotorua is a fabulous place to go and have fun.

He loved going up in the gondolas and watching the giant swing and the people going down the luge.

So finally we relented and decided to take them up. We planned the trip up very well. We found out how early in the morning they started running and realised that with our charming early wake up calls we get daily we could beat the crowds! So at 0830 the next day we were up the top getting ready to throw ourselves down the fast moving luge.

With a 5 trip ticket we were able to take the two boys down twice and then Steve took Ben down once on his own.

So definitely the right time of the day to go up there. I think we were the first people down of the day, although by the time we had finished all our rides the coach parties had all arrived.

The boys loved it. So my biggest tip of all is - go early in the morning to have the best fun with limited people about. Means that the kids can enjoy it without being over powered by bigger faster people around, and when you are only 3 you don't like too many crowds.

Horse Racing

We had a day at the races. Rotorua Races that is. What a lovely day we had too. Took a picnic lunch and had a few little flutters, came away even, so no loses! The boys thought this was great. the horses walked right past us to get their saddles etc and then back past us to go onto the track. As we were stood by the winning post we saw them as they all finished, then they walked back past us to do the parade in the winners circle where the jockeys dismounted and the horses were lead away. So the boys got to see so much of what was happening. Ben thought it was all fabulous and had a wonderful day.

Rotorua Lake

We spent a wonderful afternoon down at the lake at the end of the road.
Alex was all into the water, he just wanted to get in and splash.
Ben was not so keen, although he did get in at one stage for 20 seconds, and complained for most of the time he was in there! He preferred to stay on the jetty and watch the world float by.

Christmas Day

Ben got this lovely red bike for Christmas. We weren't planning a bike, but that's how life goes, all the best plans get changed at the last minute!

He still loved it, and had great fun riding it down to the lake.

Alex had fun on Christmas day as well. Got himself a little trike to ride and a lovely pull a long train that sounds like a train when you press the funnel.
Best of all, it was a glorious day and we were able to take a lovely walk down to the lake before going to join the rest of the family up the hill.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we went up to my Uncle's House in Rotorua. The other children were playing limbo, but this was the best Ben could do. He went over rather than under. He has no shirt on because the other bigger boys decided it was too hot for shirts so he followed suit.

 

Glenbrook Vintage Train

Steve has always mentioned that there is a vintage steam train somewhere south of Auckland.
As both the boys love trains we decided to venture there one fine Sunday morning.
After quite an eventful trip there, hence to add I now know to take at least 2 changes of clothes for both boys whenever we go anywhere! We arrived to find a lovely sunny day with not too many people around.
We had some lunch and then ventured onto the lovely restored steam train for a 45 minute return trip across some of South Auckland's green fields.

The boys had a wonderful time on the train, although the ticket did allow us to go again but Ben decided that he didn't want to go on the train again, but did want to go on the little 'Rigger' that you could help with up and down the track in front of the station

Our Little Helpers

Ben and Alex have both decided that they are big enough to have little jobs around the house.

Ben gets the rubbish bin from the road every week and puts it back where it lives.

 
And Alex goes and checks the mailbox everyday, when he remembers!

I Know My Name

Ben has finally grasped his own name.
Up until now, you could ask him if his name was Ben and he said yes. Today he finally answered when you asked him directly what his name was.

When asked 'What is your name?' he replied 'Bem"
Good enough for us :)

Plant Digging

When deciding to move anything in the garden, you must always have the right tools to hand. Alex decided that he was just what we needed when moving the Camilia. He got in the hole to help us!

There Has to Be An Easy way!

To celebrate mummy's birthday, oh and also the elephants at the zoo, we went to the zoo for the day for the party and cake. Yum Yum.

We had lots of fun all day. The sun was shinning and there was lots to see and do.We found this wonderful rope walkway.

Alex had to make it harder than it really was!

This has to be easy than it looks, there must be another way to do this?

Ok, so now things are moving, knew there had to be an easier way.

Ok, so were you ever going to actually tell me I could walk on the rope?!

What's Been Happening Lately

I took the boys to the zoo last week. As you can

see the tiger was being very friendly behind his thick piece of glass. There he was dozing in the shade, and there was my two sat watching him.

On one occassion he actually had a big yawn and turned over. You should have heard all the kids around gasp at the size of his mouth and teeth. It was a great sight.

Ben and Alex sharing a quiet few moments

together reading some books.

Alex decided this weekend that he had to help us pull up the plants and turn the soil over.

Wish someone would tell him that our laundry bill is raising the roof because he insists on 3 changes of clothes a day!

But hey at least he was being helpful.

Ambury Farm Day

Pony rides, tractor rides, wood chopping and lots of animals. All at a free day out for the kids.

Apart from the weather that could have been slightly better, we all had a great time. Definitely made bed time easy that night as the kids just died!



This was great fun, as the drivers made sure you went over every bump available. All the kids had such fun, but then so did all the parents as well.




Ben decided he had to do the scout challenge. So with the help of a friendly scout who kept the rope steady, Ben successfully made the crossing with little help from me.


We were very proud of him.

Beautiful Ben

I am very proud of my big little boy, Ben.
Today we took him for his appointment with the Special Education - Speech Laungage Therapist. We were concerned because at 2 years old he had a total vocabulary of 10 words, everything you read says they will have 200 at that age!
Anyway, he had increased his vocabulary quite a lot in the last 4 months but still not enough for us to feel comfortable with him, so off for the appointment we went. (Alex stayed at home with my cousin, so we could totally focus on Ben)

The 2 ladies we saw were wonderful, making us feel at ease from the moment we walked in. They sat and talked to us about Ben and then watched him while he played with the toys around the room, all at the same time commenting to us and also interacting with Ben. They made comments like"does he always play so quietly?" and "that was a 6 word sentence he just spoke then"

Eventually they annouced to us that he was fine, yes he has limited vocabulary, but the vocabulary he does have, although he may not use the whole word, he used the words correctly and in the right context. They are happy with the amount of sentences he is coming out with, again he has a small amount of words but making sentences with what he has very well.
They gave us some super little tips on ways to encourage him to say things and how to repeat things he has said. And yes they want to do a follow up appointment in 6 months but they don't feel there will be anything to worry about, although if at the next appointment they find he still isn't prepared to use the whole word then speech therapy down the track may be of some assisstance.

At the end of the day Steve and I were relieved but glad we had followed through. As we said to each other " it was reassuring to know that everything is fine"

Although when that was all over we then had to go home to our other lovely little bundle of joy who was at home with a nice high temp of 38 deg.
As his eye got gunkier and gunkier over the day I made the decision to take him to the doctors, because I couldn't believe his gunky eye was the total cause of the high temps (highest being 39.1)
After a 35 minutes wait due to a very sick patient with the doctor, she had great pleasure in informing me that Alex has raging tonsillitis and needs anti bugs. So much for me thinking I could just dose him with Pamol and hugs, although apart from the added antibugs, that is all he is getting, although he does have mummy all to himself tommorrow as I will not be going to work.

So a typical day in the life of a young family really. Nothing happens for a while and then everything happens all at once.

Inside Play

Not much has happened over the last couple of weeks. Ben and Alex have just been discovering each other. They have now realised that they can play together and have lots of fun.

They push each other around the house having such fun.

Ben has also discovered that he can control Alex, mainly because Alex is like his little shadow! he will follow him almost anywhere.

Unfortunately the down side of this is that Alex was too eager on the climbing frame the other evening and landed head first on the deck! Yes there was screaming, no there wasn't any blood, just one very sore little boy with a dent in his forehead.
But to make matters worse, the next day in his eagerness to chase Ben in the lounge, Alex dropped the toy he was carrying, tripped on it and landed mouth first onto another toy on the floor. Again yes there was screaming , and yes there was blood, although luckily it was from a very little cut in his mouth, although the bruise on his chin matches the one on this head so well.
We will try not to get another bruise today or Daycare will think we have been attacking him all weekend.

The other thing my boys like is to climb. daddy was only putting something away and there they were, up the ladder before we knew it!
And all good mothers make their kids tents when it is wet and yucky outside. The boys had such fun with this, and it brought back lots of memories for me as well.

Wonderful Weekend

Sun shining and great to attend another birthday party.
Brought the boys a little garden bench that is so cute.

Alex got to taste his first lollipop at a birthday party this weekend.

On such a sunny weekend, where else would we be apart from the front deck soaking it all in?
Alex thinks the washing rack is for more than just washing!!
And at the end of a glorious weekend you have a lovely bath with daddy and then into pyjamers with a cup of milk before bedtime.

3rd Birthday

Last week was Ben's Birthday, so we held a little party. As you can see all the little friends had fun with the cake.

We gave Ben a train set for the special day, him and daddy have lots of fun putting tracks together when Alex is asleep and not disturbing them!

Ben's Swimming Lessons

Today was swimming lesson day. As you can see from the pictures Ben loves the water.

He is doing so well.

He has been doing his lessons for 6 months now and I can see a real improvement in his confidence with the water.

He will join in all the activities and put his head under the water.
When he has the noodle round him he floats on his own, so using a kicker board is great because he is floating and kicking at the same time.














From the big happy smiles and the giggles that come from him, I can tell he is having so much fun.

Latest Craze

The latest craze in our house is 'Choo's' or for everyone else this means 'Trains'

For the last couple of months this fasination has been getting stronger, although I am sure we assisted with this by getting a train set for Ben's 3rd Birthday last week. In fact it doesn't matter what type of train it is, any will do, it is the same with planes, although that has been assisted by the fact we live close to an airport and if the planes are landing on a particular runway then they fly over our house, nice and low and very clear 5 minutes before they land.

Isn't is amazing what holds the fascination of a 3 year old!

Welcome Back

It has been over a year since I last wrote anything on this site, man life sure does whizz past when you are not looking.
My gorgeous sons are now 3 and 15 months old, they drive us both mental everyday, but then they drive us insane with their cuteness and energy for life.



I'm remembering today where I was 5 years ago and it seems weird to think I was in a hotel room in Hong Kong on holiday. A totally different world from where I am today.

This week has been very busy with Birthday parties, as everyone from my coffee group has just had a 3 year old party. We took some friends for a train ride, something different. I think it was a perfect thing for a party that may not be remembered.